Elevator-gate-operating mechanism



1 7 March 1927' a. 1.. KERRIGAN ET AL ELEVATOR GATE OPERATING MECHANISM Fi'lEd May 16, 1925 3 Sheets-Shetl [181% W ll 3 ll F IO A 1 '5 1: lnvenrora.

f Edward L. Kerrlgcln 7 I g; 4 Walter J Murphy b MMkM Patented Mar. 22, 1927..

near sr'ra EDWARD L. KERRIGAN, OF AELINGTON, AND "WALTER, T. MURPHY, OF WEST ROXIBUBY,

MASSACHUSETTS.

ELEVATOB-GATE-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Application filed May 16,

This invention relates to elevator gates and particularly to a mechanism by which the gate is automatically opened as the ele vator approaches a landing and is automatically closed as the elevator leaves the landing. The device comprises a pivotallymounted dog associated with the elevator gate, a latch to hold the dog in operative position so that as the elevator approaches the landing a projection thereof will engage the dog and raise the gate and hold the gate raised while the elevator is at the landing, and means for automatically releasing the latch as the elevator leaves the landing whereby the dog is released and will become disengaged from the elevator thus allowing the gate to return automatically to its closed position.

In order to give an understanding of the invention we have illustrated in the drawings some selected embodiments thereof which will now be described after which the novel features will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Fig. 1 is afragmentary view showing a portion of an elevator well, said view illustratinga gate embodying our invention with an elevator approaching the landing from below;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side view of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the gate illustrating the dog;

Figs. 4: and 5 are views showing the operation of the device as the elevator approaches the landing from above, Figure 4: showing the elevator at the landing with the gate raised and Figure 5 showing the elevator approachingthe landing;

Fig. 6 is aview of the plate 16 and its associated parts removed;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view through the gate, on the line 7 --7 Fig. 3, the section through the plate 16 being taken on the line 7-7, Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 ,is a view similar to Fig. 7 but showing the counterweighted type of dog which is used for opening the elevator gate when the elevator is moving downwardly, Figure 7 illustrating the form of dog which is used for opening the gate when the elevator is moving upwardly.

In the drawings 1 indicates an elevator well in which an elevator car 2 (herein illustrated as a freight elevator) travels up and 1925. Serial No. 30,672.

down, said well having the usual landings 4. 5 indicates generally a rising and falling gate for the elevator well which is of the usual type that is employed in freight elevators. This gate comprises the cross bar 6 having the two legs or upright portions 7 depending therefrom at each end. The gate is counterweighted asusual, the counterweight being indicated at 9 and being connected to the gate by a suitable 'cord or flexible connection 10 which passes over direction pulleys 11. The counterweight 9 is shown as situated at the side of the elevator well and as moving up and down in afchane nel or vguideway 12 formed in the side of the well. The counterweight is of insuflt.

cient weight to balance the weight of the gate so that if the gate is raised and then released itwill gravitate to a closed position.

The parts thusfar described, with the ex;- ception of the particular form of gate and some constructional details of the counterweight 9, are or may be all as usual inelevators and form no part of the present invention. b i

Our improved elevator gate-operating mechanism comprises a dog associated with the gate and adapted to be engaged by a projection on the elevator as the latter is approaching the landing, a latch for holding the dog in its operative positionfso that the engagement of the projection with the dog will open the gate, and means to automatically release the latch as the elevator leaves the landing so that the dog becomes inoperative thus allowing the gate to automatically close. a

In order that the gate may be opened when the elevator car is approaching the landing from either direction we propose to employ two such dogs, both of which are associated with the gate but one of which is carried by the counterweight 9. J The dog which is carried by the gate is indicated at 13 and in its normal or operative position it projects beyond the gate and is provided with. a flat face 14 that is adapted to be engaged by a projection 15 carried by the elevator car 2 as the latter is approaching the gate. This dog is pivotally mounted so that it can swing from its operative position shown in full lines Fig. to its inoperative position shown in dotted lines in which position it is out of the path of movement of the projection 15. In the construction herein shown this dog is mounted on a plate 16 which is secured to the gate 5 preferably near one corner of the gate, the latter being provided with a recess in which the dog operates and which is closed the plate 16. The dog is shown as pivotally mounted on the rear face of the plate and when in its operative position it projects through a slot 17 formed in said plate. One convenient way of thus pivoting the dog is to mount it on a shaft or rod 18 which is carried by bearings 19 secured to the rear face of the plate 16.

The dog is normally held in its operative position by means of a latch 20 which is slidably mounted in a bearing block 21 on the inner or rear face of the plate 16 and which is adapted to engage a tall or finge" portion 22 with which the dog 13 is provided. This latch 20 is acted on by a spring 23 which yieldingly holds it in operative position shown in Fig. 7. The spring is confined in a spring-receiving recess 24 and encircles the stem 25 of the latch, said. spring bearing at one end against the end of the recess 2 1 and at the other end against the shoulder 26 formed on the latch. The latch: is provided with a slot 27 in which operates a stop pin 28, said pin operating to limit the movement of the latch.

Referring to Fig. 7 it will be seen that when the latch is operatively engaging the nose 22 the dog 13 will be locked against upward swinging movement so that when the under face 14c thereof is engaged by the projection 15 on the elevator car as the latter is moving upwardly the further upward movement of the elevator car will raise the gate. The projection 15 is so positioned on the elevator car that when the car is at the landing 4 the gate will be raised as high as desirable.

If after the elevator car has stopped at the landing it leaves the landing by moving downward then, of course, the gate will follow the downward movement of the car and will be automatically closed.

Means are provided whereby if when the elevator car leaves the landing it moves upwardly the continuous upward movement of the gate will automatically release the latch 20 thus releasing the dog 13 so that the latter will swing about its pivot and will thus become disengaged from the projection 15.

The block 21 which supports the latch 20 is slidably mounted in guides 29 carried by the plate 16 and said block is connected by rods 30 with a yoke or cross piece 31 situated adjacent the upper end of the plate 16. This cross piece is capable of downwarr movement relative to the plate 16 and is guided in its movement by guide pins 32 which rise from the bearings 19. Springs 33 surround the guide pins and act to hold the cross bar 31 and the block 21 normally in their elevated position. The cross bar 31 is formed with an extension 3% which projects above the gate as shown best in Fig. 3, aid projection extending through an opening 35 in the top edge of the gate. Vheu this projection 31 is depressed it moves the cross bar 31 downwardly thereby retracting the block 21 and carrying the latch 20 out of engagement with the finger 22.

36 indicates a projection or stop which is located in position to be engaged by the projection 34: as the gate moves upwardly beyond its normal open position. In other words, the stop 36 is so placed that when the elevator begins to move upwardly away from the landing 1 the consequent upward movement of the gate will bring the projection 34: against the stop. This will depress the projection and withdraw the latch from the toe 22 thus unlocking the dog. The dog 13 will swing upwardly into the dotted line position Fig. 7 so that as the projection 15 continues its upward movement it will clear said dog. The gate is then re leased and will gravitate automatically to its closed position.

As soon as the dog is released it will also swing downwardly under the action of gravity and in its downward movement the finger 22 will wipe over the latch 20 which will be depressed and the latch will then au tomatically reengage the finger 22 thus placing the dog again in its operative position.

37 indicates a leaf spring which is carried by a cross piece 38 that is secured to the ways 29, said spring acting on the finger 22 and holding it yieldingly against the latch.

A similar device, but associated with the counterweight 9, is employed for opening the gate as the elevator car approaches the landing from above. This weight 9 is shown as provided with a recess 39 in which the dog is pivoted and which is closed by a plate 16, which in all respects is similar to the plate 16 shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The dog which is carried by the counterweight is indicated at 41, it being provided with the square operative face 42 which is adapted to be engaged by a projection 13 that is carried by the elevator 2. The dog 41 is reversed in position relative to the dog 13, that is, the operative face 12 is on the upper side rather than on the underside. This dog is pivotally mounted and actuated in the same way as that above described with reference to the dog 13, that is, said dog is carried on a shaft 18 which is mounted in the bearings 19 secured to the plate 16. The dog is also formed with the finger 22 adapted to be en gaged by a spring-pressed latch 20 slidably mounted in the block 21 which in turn is slidably mounted in the bearings 29. The block 21 is connected by a thrust pin 30 to the cross piece 31 which has the projection loo on will engage the face 42 of: the dog 41 as shown in Figs. 4: and '5 and as the elevator ear dcscendsto the levelot the landing it the counterweight will be moved downwardly by the elevator thus raising the gate as indicated in Fig. at.

\Vhen the elevator car leaves the landing and continues its downwa d movement the further downward movement ot' the counterweight 9 will bring the projection 3-1 against the bottom oi the channel 12 thus releasing the latch from the nose '22 and permitting the dog to swing back out of the way of the projection 43. he gate is then released from the elevator and will gravitate to a closed position while the elevator car com tinues its downward movement.

In order t ia-t the dog 41 may return to its normal position automatically after it has been unlatched we propose to counterweight said dog by providing it with the counterweight arm 4% which overbalances slightly the weight of the do When, therefore, the latch has been released and the projection 43 has wiped past the dog thus swinging it into the dotted line position Fig. 8 the weight out the arm 44. will automatically return the dog to its normal operative position shown in full lines, Fig. 8 where it will be automatically latched.

The spring 37 permits a downward yielding movement of the dog 13 and an upward yielding movement of the dog n so that as the elevator car is moving downwardly the projection 15 will wipe past the dog 13 forcing it back against the action of the spring 37 while when the elevator car moves upwardly the projection L3 will wipe past the dog 4E1 forcing it backwardly in opposition to the spring 37.

The device embodying simple in construction but effective in operation.

One convenient way of mounting the dog 13 on the elevator gate is to make a gate with special corner members do to which the upright legs 7 and cross piece (3 are connected. This corner member can be made ot metal and formed with a recess 4E6 which is covered by the plate 16 and in which the support for the dog, the latch and the latch-releasing mechanism is received. This casting or corner member 4L5 may be formed so that when the plate 16 is secured thereto said plate will come flush with the face of the casting, the plate being retained in position by suitable screws 46. Any other suitable way of our invention is is positive and to be engaged "elevator gate tor the elevator landing, a dog pivotally mounted on said gate and adapted by the projection as the elevat-0r car approaches the landing, latch to .hold the dog in operative position whereby engagement of the projection with the dog will raise the gate, and means to release the latch as the elevator car leaves the landin 2. In an elevator gate operating mechanism, the combination with an elevator car having .a projection, of a rising and fallil'i'g elevator gate for an elevator landing, a dog pivotally mounted on the gate and adapted to be engaged by said projection as the elevator car approaches the landing, a latch to hold the dog 1n operatlve position, and

means actuated by the movement of the olevat-or beyond the landing to release the latch, whereby the engagement of the projection with the dog will raise the gate as the elevator car approaches the landing and continued movement of the elevator car beyond the landing will release the latch and dog thus permitting the gate to close.

3. In an elevator gate controlling mechanism, the combination with an elevator car having a projection, of a rising and falling elevator gate for an elevator landing, a dog pivotally mounted on the gate and adapted to be engaged by said projection as the elevator car approaches the landing, a latch to hold the dog in operative position, a lateL releasing member and projection or stop to engage said member and thereby effect a release of the latch when the elevator car moves beyond the landing.

4:. In a device of the class described, the combination with an elevator car having a projection, of a rising and falling elevator gate for an elevator landing. a supporting plate mounted on the gate, a dog pivotally mounted on the plate and adapted to be engaged by said projection as the elevator car approaches the landing, a latch to hold the dog in operative position, a latch-releasing member carried by said plate, and means cooperating therewith to release the latch when the elevator car moves beyond the landin 5. In a device of the class described, the combination with an elevator car havinga projection extending therefrom, of a rising and falling elevator gate for an elevator landing, a supporting frame rigidly secured to said gate, a dog pivotally mounted on said frame and normally projecting laterally into the path of the projection on the elevator, a block movably carried by' said frame, a spring-pressed latch slidably mounted on said block and normally holding said dog in its operative position, and means to move the block relative to the frame thereby to rel-ease the latch from the dog.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with an elevator car having a projection extending therefrom, of a rising and falling elevator gate for an elevator landing, a supporting frame rigidly secured to said gate, a dog pivotally mounted on said frame and normally projecting laterally into the path of the projection on the elevator, a block movably carried by said frame, a spring-pressed latch slidably mounted on said block and normally holding said dog in its operative position, and means operated by the movement of the elevator car to move the block relative to the frame thereby to withdraw the latch from engagement with the dog.

7. In an elevator gate operating mechanism, the combination with an elevator car having a projection, of a rising and falling elevator gate for an elevator landing, a pivotally mounted dog connected to the gate to move therewith and adapted to be e11- gaged by the projection as the elevator car approaches the landing, a latch to hold the dog in operative position, whereby the en gagement of the projection with the dog will raise the gate, and means to release the latch from the dog as the elevator car leaves the landing.

8. In an elevator gate operating mechanism, the combination with an elevator car having a projection, of a rising and falling elevator gate for an elevator landing, a piv otally mounted dog connected to the gate to move therewith and adapted to be engaged by the projection as the elevator car approaches the landing, a lateh-supporting member, a springpressed latch slidably mounted thereon and adapted to hold the dog in operative position, whereby engagement of the projection with the dog will raise the gate, and means actuated by the movement of the elevator car beyond the landing to move the latch-supporting member thereby to withdraw the latch from engagement with the do".

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification.

EDWARD L. KERRIGAN. WVALTER J. MURPHY. 

